Lighted cooling basin for air conditioning units



Dec. 29, 1953 M, c m H 2,664,311

LIGHTED COOLING BASIN FOR AIR CONDITIONING UNITS Filed June 11, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Marcus M. Cu/m/ngh am INVENTOR.

BY 9 mm ATTORNEY Dec. 29, 1953 M. M. CUNNINGHAM 2,664,311

LIGHTED COOLING BASIN FOR AIR CONDITIONING UNITS Filed June 11, 1951 Sheets-Sheet 2 Marcus M. Cunnmgfla/b INVENTOR.

1 BY (imam-1+ Patented Dec. 29, 1953 UNITED STATE rem" OFFICE LIGHTED COOLING BASIN FOR AIR CONDITIONING UNITS Application June 11, 1951, Serial No. 230,989

"3 Claims. (01. 299-4) Thisinvention relates to'a lighted cooling basin or pond for an air conditioning unit, such basin replacing the conventional cooling tower units of the type in which water is circulated through wooden slats. It will also replace the forced air draft metal type cooling towers which require the use of fans, and any other type of cooling means as well. In such basin the lights provided also serve to indicate the occurrence of conditions in the air conditioning system, as when the water circulation diminishes below a predetermined figure.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cooling basin for an air conditioning unit so that the hot'water from the unit may be circulated intothe'basin and aerated therein, as in the form of sprays, and then recirculated to the unit as cool water, the pump of the unit serving as the water circulating means.

It is'a further object of this invention to provide a cooling basin of this type which may have afountain in the center thereof so that part of the hot water from the unit may be by-passed to the fountain to bubble up therefrom and fall into the basin.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a coolingbasin of this class equipped with a fountain through which the excess of Water not delivered through the spray risers may be directed at times when an excess above the ordinary amount of water maybe delivered by the pump, orat times when the spray risers may be obstructed. I

"It is a further object ofthis invention to provide' a cooling system of this class in which the water bubbling over from the fountain falls upon the fan-like sprays fromthe riser slots to enhance the dispersion and aeration of the water to be cooled.

"It'is a'further object of this inv'entiontoprovide a' cooling basin of this class equipped with lights which serve the obvious purposes of lighting and ornamentation and also serveto indicate the occurrence" of conditions'in the air conditioning system.

"It is a'further object of this invention to provide a cooling system'of this class which has 'n'ieanstherein to direct to a'sew'er any excess of water tending'to risein the basin above"apredetermined level.

It-is still a further object of this'invention to provide a cooling System of this class which may be bypassed from the air conditioning unit when it is not in operation, and the system thus by- .passed-employed'for its ornamehtalfe'atures as a bubbling fountain and s ray fill'ed' basin.

2 Other and further objects will be pp when the specification is considered in connection with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view'of the basin and a diagrammatic view of the air conditioning system;

Fig. 2 is a diagram of the light circuits which may be employed with this invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation showing a typical piping arrangement for the cooling basin;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation showing a typical light receptacle in place in the basin; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation througha riser illustrating the slotted arrangement.

The basin I of this cooling system may be octagonal in plan, circular, or of any desired shape. The material of construction may be concrete, tile or any other material; and preferably a material of pleasing appearance is employed to add ornamental appearance to the system so thatit may be installed one lawn as .an added decoration.

The base 2 of the basin l hastherearoundthe manifold 3 which is preferably buried in the earth. The risers 4 from the manifold 3 pass upwardly through the base2 of the basin and are sealed therethrough. These risers have vertically spaced horizontally extending slots 5 therein which face substantially radially inwardly from the riser location approximate the wall 6 of the basin I. These risers have suitable caps l thereon.

A conventional air conditioning system 8 is diagrammatically shown and has the suction line l2 connected into the pump l0 which'discharges the cooled water into the conventional air .conditioning unit to be circulated therethrough to pick up heat and to then be discharged into the discharge or delivery line H and from thence on into the manifold 3 and'from thence out through the risers 4 into the basin l A return connection l2 extends into the sump 24 below the inner bottom l3 of-the base 2 and has the filter Hi connected'therewith which filters the cool water to be taken back to the air conditioning unit 8. The basin is preferably located at some advantageous position on a lawn whereby its pleasing appearance isgenerally visible to onlookers, whereas the conventional air conditioning unit tower is located in some inconspicuous or concealed place behind the house so that its ungainly appearance is not easily noticeable.

A fountain i t is installed centrally of the basin l and the bowl I! thereof is located at some pleasing and convenient distance above the basin. .A by-pass line l8 takes off from the delivery or supply line H at somepoint between'the pump I ll and the manifold 3 and leads below the basin upwardly through the center of the base 2 and pedestal [8' to the bowl I! of the fountain. The valve I9 is provided in this line l8 to cut the fountain in or out and to regulate the amount of water by-passed thereto.

The water which is sprayed outwardly through the slots of the riser 4, shown in Fig. 5, takes a fan-like shape about the pedestal [8' of the fountain and is impinged upon the opposed fanlike stream from an opposed riser on the other side of the fountain. At the same time when the fountain is cut into the system the water therefrom bubbles over the top of the bowl 1! and falls upon the fan-like streams, thereby increasing the amount of dispersion and aeration of the water.

In order to maintain the water level in the basin the float 2| is provided which controls the supply line 22 from a conventional water supply system, as the city water main. Thus, when water is lost through evaporation, or through other causes, the flow operates to open the line 22 to replenish the water in the basin.

The overflow line 23 extends from the desired water level 20 and is sealed through the base 2 and passes to the sewer to dispose of any excess water which may be added to the desired volume in the system and basin, as by rain water, or as by a stoppage in the return line I2.

The screen 26 is provided over the sump 24 to screen out matter, such as leaves, which might otherwise occlude the filter M. The drain 28 is provided to lead from the bottom of the sump 24 to completely drain the tank on occasion. Such line 28 is shown as having the valve therein, and as connecting into the overflow line 23 to the sewer.

In Fig. 1, a circle 21 of lights 29 is shown provided in the bottom l3 of the basin 2. The assembly of each light is shown in Fig. 4 and includes a bowl 30 which has the anchor flange 3| connected thereto and the hole 32 in the anchor flange to be filled with concrete for further anchorage. The support arms 33 extend above the bowl 3% and support the rim or flange 34 in which flts the transparent lens or glass 35 to diffuse the light.

In Fig. 4 the light globe and electrical wiring thereto are not shown, nor is the conduit therefrom. The drain outlet 36, however, is shown connecting the bowl 30, by means of the fitting 31, to the manifold 38 to receive any liquid, as condensate, which may have to be drained from each bowl 3%. The line 39 which has the fitting 30 and valve 4| therein, is shown draining the manifold 38 into the sump drain line 28 which in turn is shown connected into the overflow drain line 23 to the sewer.

As shown in Fig. 2, the lights 29 on each side of a center line through the fountain, are connected in two parallel banks 4| and d2, alternate lights being in the same bank. On each side the wires 43 and M lead to the double throw switches d5 on the switch mount 46. From these switches the wires ll and 58 lead to be closed by the contact points 9 and 55 on the switch 5|, which is rotatable. From such points the wires 52 and 53 lead to the contact points 54 and 55.

The piston rod 56 extends through the end of the cylinder 51 to actuate the double throw switch 53. Such is accomplished by the motion of the piston 59 which is biased by the spring 50, while the pressurized water from the discharge line H from the air conditioning unit passes 4 through the line 68 to act upon the other side of the piston 59 to oppose the action of the spring. From the switch 58 the lines GI and 52 lead to the negative side of a source of electric power and have the double throw switch 63 therein. The lines 64 and 65 from the banks 4! and 42 lead to the circuit multibreaker panel 5i to be connected to the positive side of the source of electric power. The bypass line 66 having the valve 61 therein is provided in case it may be desired to divert water from the air conditioning unit and re-circulate it directly to the basin I.

This invention is designed to eliminate the unsightly cooling towers now conventionally used to cool the water of a conventional air conditioning system and it also eliminates the circulating fan which some such conventional systems require. Additionally, it provides a utilitarian device for this purpose, including indicia lights, which also has an ornamental purpose in the decoration of lawns and the like by providing an ornamental lighted spray filled basin therefor and also a bubbling fountain.

Broadly, this invention is directed to any system which is designed to carry out the function of cooling a hot water supply which is to be recirculated as cool water, and its application is not limited to an air conditioning system for buildings but to other uses as well. The accomplishment of this invention results in employing such a utilitarian device in combination with its ornamental features.

What is claimed is:

1. A cooling system for heated fluid from a 3 heat imparting unit which includes a pump, said cooling system comprising, a basin, a manifold, a conduit line connecting said manifold with the discharge side of said pump, tubular risers from said manifold extending upwardly into said basin and being radially spaced from the center of said basin and substantially diametrically opposed to each othe across said basin and having radial slots therein spaced one above the other and above the bottom of said basin through a which said fluid under the force of said pump may be expelled in fan-like sprays and directed radially inwardly toward the center of said basin so that said sprays from said opposed risers impinge upon each other to aerate and cool said fluid, a conduit line in said basin below said slots for returning the cooled fluid to the suction side of said pump, electric lights in the basin to light the system, a circuit for conveying electric current to said lights, and means actuated upon the diminution of the pressure of the fluid delivered to the basin below a pre-determined pressure to break said circuit.

2. A cooling system for heated fluid from a heat imparting unit which includes a pump, said cooling system comprising, a basin, a manifold, a conduit line connecting said manifold with the discharge side of said pump, tubular risers from said manifold extending upwardly into said basin and being radially spaced from the center of said basin and substantially diametrically opposed to each other across said basin and having radial slots therein spaced one above the other and above the bottom of said basin through which said fluid under the force of said pump may be expelled in fan-like sprays and directed radially inwardly toward the center of said basin so that said sprays from said opposed risers impinge upon each other to aerate and cool said fluid, a conduit line in said basin below said slots for returning the cooled fluid to the suc- 5 tion side of said pump, said cooling system also including a fountain comprising a bowl and a sup-port pedestal rising centrally from said basin and thereabove to support said bowl, a controlled by-pass conduit line from said discharge conduit line to said bowl so that various predetermined volumes of fluid may be diverted to bubble over the top of said fountain to abet the aeration of said fluid expelled from said sprays by falling thereon as said sprayed fluid is further diverted and aerated by partial impingement on said pedestal, the diversion of said various pre-determined volumes of fluid to said fountain also limiting the volume of water expelled through said sprays to a desired minimum for most efficient aeration and cooling under various operating conditions, there being electric lights in the basin to light the system, a circuit for conveying electric current to said lights, and means actuated upon the diminution of the pressure of the fluid delivered to the basin below a predetermined pressure to break said circuit.

3. A cooling system for heated fluid from a heat imparting unit which includes a pump, said cooling system comprising, a basin, a manifold, a conduit line connecting said manifold with the discharge side of said pump, tubular risers from said manifold extending upwardly into said basin and being radially spaced from the center of said basin and substantially diametrically opposed to each other across said basin and having radial slots therein spaced one above the other and above the bottom of said basin through which said fluid under the force of said pump may be expelled in fan-like sprays and directed radially inwardly toward the center of said basin so that said sprays from said opposed risers impinge upon each other to aerate and cool said fluid, a conduit line in said basin below said slots for returning the cooled fluid to the suction side of said pump, electric lights in the basin to light the system, a circuit for conveying electric current to said lights, and means actuated upon the diminution of the pressure of the fluid delivered to the basin below a predetermined pressure to break said circuit, said last named means comprising, a cylinder, a line connecting a first end of said cylinder to the discharge side of said pump outwardly of said heat imparting unit, a piston in said cylinder and spaced from said first end, a piston rod connected at one end to said piston and extending through the other end of said cylinder, a

circuit controlling means on the outer end of said rod, and a spring confined between the other end of said cylinder and said piston to urge said piston against the pressure of th fluid entering said cylinder through said connecting line,

the pressure of said fluid in said cylinder urging said piston and piston rod to maintain said circuit controlling means normally positioned to close said circuit until said fluid pressure falls 1 below a ore-determined valve.

MARCUS M. CUNNINGHAM.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 967,135 Lachance Aug. 9, 1910 1,280,784 Luckiesh Oct. 8, 1918 1,562,657 Parker Nov. 24, 1925 1,595,870 Robinson Aug. 10, 1926 1,973,132 Wheat Sept, 11, 1934 1,982,315 Lundberg Nov. 27, 1934 2,591,100 Rouse Apr. 1, 1952 

